Cоntents intrоductiоn chapter I. Life and work of Jonathan Swift

Writing Style of Robinson Crusoe

The writing style of Daniel Defoe in Robinson Crusoe is simple and direct in the first-person narrative as told by Robinson himself, the main narrator. The presentation of details to show realism through a travelogue demonstrates the journalistic capability of the author but at the same time, he has also used long sentences and spare use of adjectives. As far as the devices are concerned, the author is dexterous in the use of metaphors and extended similes along with rhetorical devices of pathos, ethos, and logos. The use of navigational jargon and maritime vocabulary has also played a role in lending credence to Robinson’s story.

Analysis of the Literary Devices in Robinson Crusoe

1. 
   Action: The main action of the novel comprises the whole life, growth, and voyages of Robinson Crusoe until the end of his life in England. The rising action occurs when Crusoe shows disobedience to his father and leaves for a voyage with a merchant. The falling action occurs when he faces a shipwreck on his second adventure and finds himself stranded on an island at the mercy of animals and cannibals.
   
2. 
   Allegory: The novel is an allegory as it shows Crusoe justifying his actions on moral and religious grounds when he starts teaching Christianity and the English language to Friday.
   
3. 
   Allusion: The novel shows good use of different allusions such as,
   i. I knew where my Patroon’s Case of Bottles stood, which it was evident by the make were taken out of some English Prize; and I convey’d them into the Boat while the Moor was on Shoar, as if they had been there before, for our Master: I convey’d also a great Lump of Bees-Wax into the Boat, which weighed above half a Hundred Weight, with a Parcel of Twine or Thread, a Hatchet, a Saw and a Hammer, all which were of great Use to us afterwards; especially the Wax to make Candles. (77)
   ii. As I had been one Voyage to this Coast before, I knew very well that the Islands of the Canaries, and the Cape de Verd Islands also, lay not far off from the Coast. (81)
   iii. The same Day I went on board we set sail, standing away to the Northward upon our own Coast, with Design to stretch over for the Affrican Coast, when they came about or Degrees of Northern Latitude, which it seems was the manner of their Course in those Days. (93)
   iv. Notion of Jesus Christ being sent to redeem us, and of the Manner of making our Prayers to God, and his being able to hear us, even into Heaven; he told me one Day, that if our God could hear us upbeyond the Sun, he must needs be a greater God than their Benamuckee, who liv’d but a little way off, and yet could not hear, till they went up to the great Mountains where he dwelt, to speak to him. (240)
   The first example shows allusions of navigation and marine life, the second of geographical locations, the third of geographical jargon, and the last of Biblical tales.
   
4. 
   Antagonist: Natural calamities and sea storms are the main antagonists of the novel as they appear to obstruct all avenues for Robinson Crusoe to force him to try his surviving human skills.
   
5. 
   Conflict: The novel shows both external as well as internal conflicts. The external conflict is going on between Robinson Crusoe and his father, then between Crusoe and cannibals and animals, and then between Crusoe and the mutineers. The internal conflict, however, is going on in the mind of Crusoe about his actions and his behavior vis-à-vis the advice of his father.
   
6. 
   Characters: The novel shows both static as well as dynamic characters. The young man, Robinson Crusoe, is a dynamic character as he shows a considerable transformation in his behavior and conduct by the end of the novel. However, all other characters are static as they do not show or witness any transformation such as Friday, The English captain, Xury, or even his father.
   
7. 
   Climax: The climax in the novel occurs when Robinson Crusoe finds himself trapped on the island after confronting the storm in which his ship is wrecked.
   
8. 
   Foreshadowing: The novel shows many instances of foreshadows such as,
   i. I Was born in the Year 1632, in the City of York,* of a good Family, tho’ not of that Country, my Father being a Foreigner of Bremen,*who settled first at Hull. (62)
   ii. I observed in this last Part of his Discourse, which was truly Prophetick, tho’ I suppose my Father did not know it to be so himself; I say, I observed the Tears run down his Face very plentifully. (64)
   The mention of his father, his father’s profession, and then of his own tears show that Crusoe is going to have trying times ahead.
   
9. 
   Hyperbole: The novel shows various examples of hyperboles such as,
   i. I expected every Wave would have swallowed us up, and that every time the Ship fell down, as I thought, in the Trough or Hollow of the Sea. (66)
   ii. I got up out of my Cabbin, and look’d out; but such a dismal Sight I never saw: The Sea went Mountains high, and broke upon us every three or four Minutes. (68)
   iii. Then all Hands were called to the Pump. At that very Word my Heart, as I thought, died within me, and I fell backwards upon the Side of my Bed where I sat, into the Cabbin. (70)
   These examples exaggerate things as the wave swallowing up, the sea high as mountains, and the heart has died.
   
10. 
    Imagery: Robinson Crusoe shows the use of imagery as shown in the below examples,
    i. It happen’d one time, that going a fishing in a stark calm Morning, a Fog rose so thick, that tho’ we were not half a League from the Shoar we lost Sight of it; and rowing we knew not whither or which way, we labour’d all Day and all the next Night, and when the Morning came we found we had pull’d off to Sea instead of pulling in for the Shoar; and that we were at least two Leagues from the Shoar:
    However we got well in again, tho’ with a great deal of Labour, and some Danger; for the Wind began to blow pretty fresh in the Morning; but particularly we were all very hungry. (76)
    ii. The Mouth of this Hollow, was at the Bottom of a great Rock, where by meer accident, (I would say, if I did not see abundant Reason to ascribe all such Things now to Providence) I was cutting down some thick Branches of Trees, to make Charcoal; and before I go on, I must observe the Reason of my making this Charcoal; which was thus. (206)
    These two examples show images of color, light, and sight.
    
11. 
    Metaphor: Robinson Crusoe shows good use of various metaphors as given in the below examples,
    i. I cast my Eyes to the stranded Vessel, when the Breach and Froth of the Sea being so big, I could hardly see it, it lay so far off, and considered, Lord! how was it possible I could get on Shore? (98)
    ii. My Thoughts were now wholly employ’d about securing my self against either Savages, if any should appear, or wild Beasts, if any were in the Island. (107)
    iii. How can he sweeten the bitterest Providences, and give us Cause to praise him for Dungeons and Prisons. What a Table was here spread for me in a Wilderness, where I saw nothing at first but to perish for Hunger. (182)
    These examples show that several things have been compared directly in the novel such as the first shows his eyes as if they are a net, the second his thoughts as if they are hooks, and the last the island as if it is a table.
    
12. 
    Mood: The novel shows various moods; it starts on a happy and optimistic note but turns out highly somber and dreadful as it moves and ends in a hopeful mood.
    
13. 
    Motif: Most important motifs of the novel are isolation, individuality, society, and religion.
    
14. 
    Narrator: The novel is narrated from the first-person point of view, who is the protagonist, Robinson Crusoe. The novel starts when he starts his narrative of navigating the seas and ends when he returns home after long voyages.
    
15. 
    Personification: The novel shows examples of personifications such as,
    i. The Wave that came upon me again, buried me at once 20 or 30 Foot deep in its own Body; and I could feel my self carried with a mighty Force and Swiftness towards the Shore a very great Way. (97)
    ii. She lay almost where she did at first, but not quite; and was turn’d by the Force of the Waves and the Winds almost Bottom upward, against a high Ridge of Beachy rough Sand; but no Water about her as before. (163)
    iii. In my viewing the Sea from that Hill where I stood, I perceiv’d a strong, and indeed, a most furious Current, which run to the East, and even came close to the Point; and I took the more Notice of it, because I saw there might be some Danger; that when I came into it. (174)
    These examples show as if the waves, boat, and the sea have the life of their own.
    
16. 
    Protagonist: Robinson Crusoe is the protagonist of the novel. The novel starts with his entry and moves forward as he grows young and takes up to voyaging across the oceans and living on the islands.
    
17. 
    Rhetorical Questions: The novel shows good use of rhetorical questions at several places such as,
    i. But judge you, if you can, that read my Story, what a Surprize I must be in, when I was
    wak’d out of my Sleep by a Voice calling me by my Name several times, Robin, Robin, Robin Crusoe, poor Robin Crusoe, where are you Robin Crusoe? Where are you? Where have you been? (178)
    ii. I do not mean, that I entertain’d any Fear of their Number; for as they were naked, unarm’d Wretches, ’tis certain I was superior to them; nay, though I had been alone; but it occurr’d to my Thoughts, What Call? What Occasion? much less, What Necessity I was in to go and dip my Hands in Blood, to attack People, who had neither done, or intended me any Wrong? (252)
    This example shows the use of rhetorical questions posed by Robinson Crusoe to himself not to elicit answers but to stress upon the underlined idea.
    
18. 
    Setting: The setting of the novel is somewhere in Africa, Brazil, and then some island in the Atlantic as well as England.
    
19. 
    Simile: The novel shows good use of various similes as given in the examples below,
    i. I added a Wick of some Oakum, I made me a Lamp; and this gave me Light, tho’ not a clear steady Light like a Candle. (67)
    ii. I made me a Cave just behind my Tent, which serv’d me like a Cellar to my House. (109)
    iii. I went out with my Gun and kill’d two Fowls like Ducks, which were very good Food. (119)
    iv. I had a short Jacket of Goat-Skin, the Skirts coming down to about the middle of my Thighs; and a Pair of open-knee’d Breeches of the same, the Breeches were made of the Skin of an old He-goat, whose Hair hung down such a Length on either Side, that like Pantaloons it reach’d to the middle of my Legs; Stockings and Shoes I had none, but had made me a Pair of some-things, I scarce know what to call them, like Buskins to flap over my Legs, and lace on either Side like Spatter-dashes; but of a most barbarous Shape, as indeed were all the rest of my Cloaths. (184)
    These are similes as the use of the word “like” shows the comparison between different things.
    

The impetus for the idea for Robinson Crusoe came to Defoe from his reading of the account of a man named Alexander Selkirk who, in a fit of anger, had himself put ashore on a deserted island. Earlier, Selkirk had gotten into a fight with a fellow crewman and had himself and his effects put ashore on an island outside of Chili. When he realized the effect of his actions, he pleaded with his shipmates to come back for him, but it was too late. He was marooned on the island for four and a half years. When he was later rescued, the report states that he could hardly speak any more, but he did apparently quickly regain his speech.
The account of Alexander Selkirk was published widely throughout England; he was the subject of an article by Richard Steele in the Englishman, and an account of his adventures appeared in many other papers. Consequently, Defoe was quite familiar with Selkirk's adventures, and some biographers maintain that Defoe interviewed Selkirk personally, but this is debatable.
Many of Selkirk's activities on his island are paralleled by Robinson Crusoe on his island; for example, Selkirk fed on turnips, fish, and goat's meat; he became overrun with cats, and he had to use his ingenuity to survive, all reflected in Defoe's novel. In addition, Alexander Selkirk's original name had been Alexander Selcraig, just as Robinson Crusoe's real name had been Robinson Kreutznaer.
A clue to one of the basic ideas of the novel is given in the first chapter, when Crusoe's father admonished his son to stay "in the middle station" of life — this station being the one which "had the fewest disasters, and was not exposed to so many vicissitudes as the higher or lower part of mankind." Crusoe's pride would not allow him to remain in this "middle station." So Crusoe, like the protagonists in many Greek myths and dramas, suffers from the sin of hubris and is accordingly punished. Often during his confinement on the island, Crusoe is reminded of his father's advice and rues his own impulsiveness. Furthermore, the father's pronouncement that his "boy might be happy if he would stay at home, but if he goes abroad, he will be the most miserable wretch that was ever born" becomes a prophetic statement which foreshadows Crusoe's later predicament.
The father's prediction comes true sooner than even Crusoe could expect. His first boat founders and Crusoe makes solemn vows in a time of trouble, but as soon as the trouble is over, he forgets his vows. Thus, we have his first reneging on his word to God. Throughout the rest of the novel, he will constantly contemplate his relationship with God and how much God is punishing him for his "wicked ways."